Electric switch.



G. B. PILKINGTON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.9 I915- 1,190,189. Patented July 4,1916.

2 SHEETS-JSHEET 1,

G. B. PILKINGTON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.-

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9. 1915.

Patented July 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I or close the circuit by an easy natural action of the fingers of one hand and which in a endent type of switch will not have to be field in one hand while operating it with the -Y sTATEs P TENT QFFIGE.

(GEORGE IB. 'rILKINGTo or wATnnBunY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR To WATERBURY BUTTON COMPANY, or WATERBURY, CoNNnCTICUT, A CORPORATION or coN- 'NnCT uT.

To all whom it may concern.

United States of America, residing atWaterbury, Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Electric Switch, of which the following 1s a specification. I

' One of the objects of my invention is to provide an electric switch of improved construction which can be manipulated to open other hand.

-Other objects are to enable a relatively slight movement of a switch operated member effective to produce a positive action of thezcircuit controlling parts, to simplify and the cost ofcon'struction and assemblage.

reduce the number of parts and to decrease I These objects I have accomplished in part by operating the movable member of the- 'switch mechanism by a lever pro ect1ng through the casing of the switch and provided with an exposed finger-hold, which in conjunction with a relatively fixed fingerhold on the outside of the switch casing, forms a air of grips which can be pinched Another feature of the invention resides 'in theemployment of two Contact members together etween the thumb and forefinger of one hand to effect the action of the switch.

each having a plurality of Contact portions and with the contact portions of the two members disposed opposite each other so as to be bridged by a relatively movable switch member. This provision of a plurality of :1 circuit changing action to be effected by operatively disposed contacts enables the relatively slight movement of the movable switch member.

Other features and the details of construction will appear as the specification proceeds.

I have shown in the accompanying drawing a practical and preferred embodiment of my invention but it w1ll be understood that-changes and modifications may be made without departing from the true scope of the invention.

In the drawings':--Figure 1, is an outside elevation of a lamp socket switch constructed accordance with and embodyv Specification of Letters Patent.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Application filed September 9, 1915. Serial No. 49,688.

ing the invention. Fig. 2, is a cross sectional view of the same taken substantially on the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectional View taken substantially on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line of Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is another cross sectional view taken substantially on the invention is shown. embodied in a lamp socket type of switch, 10 designates a lamp socket shell or casing of typical appearance and construction and 11 indicates the cap or cover inclosing the upper open end thereof, this cap being detachably engaged with the socket shell in any usual or preferred manner.

The switch mechanism is mounted on an insulating base which is here shown as made up of a pair of insulating disks 15 and 16 secured one above theother in superposed spaced relation by the terminal brackets 17 and 18. Engaged between the two insulating disks is the pivot pin-0r stud 19 which serves as the pivotal support for the movable switch member and the switch operating lever.

The movable switch member is designated 20 and this, as is more clearly shown in Fig.

6 is in the form of a bar orswitching piece secured to the under side of an insulating carrier disk 21 which is pivotally engaged on the pivot stud. The movable Contact or bridging piece. 20 is secured-to its insulating carrier in the present instance by providing it with inwardly extending lugs 22 which engage. in complementary recesses provided'in a hub portion 23 on the under side of said carrier.

The relatively stationary switch contacts are provided by two contact members 25 and 26 secured on the upper face of the lower supporting disk 15 and provided with a plurality of spaced upstanding contact portions 27 and 28. 'The contactportions 27 of the contact member 25 are disposed dia-. metrically opposite contact portions 28 on the other contact member 26, so that contact tion in annular grooves or seats 29 and 30 formed in the upper face of the lower insulating disk. It will be seen in Fig. 5 that the contact portion 28 on the inner contact ring 26 over-stands the outer contact ring 25 so that said contact forms in effect a single concentric series.

The relatively stationary contact members are secured in place inthe present dis closure by means of screws 32 and 33, these screws being utilized also to complete thecircuit connection, the screw 32 being shown in Fig. 3 passed up through the lower insulating diskand through a perforation in the contact 25 into engagement with the angular foot of the terminal 17 and the screw 33 being shown passed up through a pens foration 34 in the base of the screw shell contact 35 and through a passage 36 in the lower insulating disk into engagement with the outer contact members 26 at 37.

The movable switch contact is operated by a switch operating lever 40 pivoted on the stud 19 abovethe movable contact and having a one-way driving engagement therewith. This one-way driving slot $2 to receive the lug70 as the switch connection is provided by a pawl 41 on the lever which is adjusted to engage with formed in the upper face of a" ratchet plate 43 secured on top of the insulating carrier.

disk 21., This ratchet plate is secured to the carrier disk in a manner similar to the movable, contact, that is, by providing it with inwardly projecting lugs 45 engaging in complementary recesses 46 formed in the hub portion 47 on the upper side of the disk.

The operating lever, in the first form of the invention illustrated projects out through a lateral slot or opening 50 in the socket shelland is provided on its outer exposed end with a sector piece 51. This slot in the switch casing serves as a guide for the operating lever and also acts to limit the oscillating movement of said lever Secured on the outside of the casing adjacent the forward end of the guide slot is acomplementary but relatively stationary. fingerhold or finger-piece 52. In the normal posi-- tion of the switch parts, as indicated in Figs. v1 and 4 the .two finger-holds are spaced apart a distance such as to be conveniently grasped between the thumb and forefinger of. the hand. operating the switch. This gripping of the two finger-holds and pinching them together is a very natural and simple action and can be accomplished without the usual necessity for steadying the socket with the other hand I v tively stationarycontact.

' memes The switch lever after being operated is returned to its normal position by means of a retracting spring 55 coiled about the stud and anchored to a plate 56 on the upper insulating disk at its upper end and en-' gaged with the lever at its lower end. This spring in addition to retracting the lever serves also to press the bridging contact down into firm engagement with the rela- The rotatably supported switch member is held in the position to which it. is advanced by means consisting in the present disclosure of a leaf spring 60 secured to the upper insulating disk by a screw 61 and 'engagingwith its spring end in notches 62 formedf in the edge of the ratchet plate 43. The guide. slot 50 in the switch casing is formed with an entrance portion 65 to receive the switch operating lever as the socket mechanism is being inserted intothe casing 10, this entrance portion being covered when the'cap and shell are assembled by the dependent rim. portion of the-cap as will be clear from Fig. 1. I

The switch mechanism is held against ent disclosure by providing an inturned lug on the shell engaging in a slot 71in the .upperinsulating disk 16. The. lower insuturning in the casing according to thepreslatin disk 15 is: provided with a similar mechanism is beinginserted into the casing. The switch of my invention may, when so desired, be operated by a pull chain, as

indicatedin Fig. 7.: Here the switch operating lever is designated 75 and has connectedjto it a pulli Cl13lI 176 which extends out through a guide 77. The. operation of the contact-making part in this construe tion is the same as already described. I .The circuit will be clear from the above description, it being noted that in addition to the screw shell contact 35 there is pro-.

. the switch of my invention is of simple and durable construction, positive in its action and is easily and conveniently operated.

,What Iclaim is f 1. In an electric switch, aninsulatingbase, spaced relatively stationary contacts" on said base, a relatively movable contactipivoted onsaid basea'nd adapted to bridge the stationary contacts, z'a switch-operating lever pivoted on the base and having a driving engagement; with the. movable switch memher in the oscillating movement of said-lever in a forward direction, a spring normally returning thelever in the opposite direction,

,a shell inclosing said switch parts and pro I vided with a slot receiving the projecting end of the switch-operating lever, a fingerhold on the exposed end of said lever outside the shell and a complementary relatively stationary finger-hold on the outside of the shell at a point adjacent the end of the forward stroke of the lever whereby said switch is operable both to open and to close the circuit by a pinching engagement of the thumb and forefinger with said relatively spaced finger-holds.

2. In an electric switch, an insulating base, spaced relatively stationary contacts on said base, a relatively movable contact pivoted on the base and adapted to bridge the stationary contacts, a switch operating lever pivoted on the base and having driving engagement with the movable switch member in the oscillating movement of said lever in a forward direction, a shell inclosing said switch parts provided with a laterally extending slot receiving the projecting end of the lever and limiting the oscillating movement of said lever, this slot having an entrance portion cut thereinto from the edge of the shell to admit the lever into the lateral portion of the slot, a spring acting to return the lever toward the rearward end of this guide slot, afinger hold on the projecting. end of the lever outside the shell and a complementary finger hold secured to the shell adjacent the forward end of the guide slot.

3. In an electric switch, an insulating base, relatively stationary contacts supported on said base, a relatively movable contact pivoted on the base and adapted to connect the relatively stationary contacts, a ratchet plate connected to said relatively movable contact and provided with notches therein, a switch operating lever having a driving engagement with said ratchet plate in the movement of said lever in one direction, a spring for returning said switch operating lever and a holding spring engaging the notches in the ratchet plate to hold the relatively movable switch member in the position to which it is advanced by the switch operating lever.

4, In an electric switch, an insulating base, a contact member secured on said base and provided with a plurality of spaced upwardly projected contact portions, a second contact member secured on the base and provided with a plurality of spaced upwardly pro ected contact portions disposed opposite the} contact portions of the first contact mem ber, a movable contact mounted on the base and adapted to bridge the oppositely disposed contact portions of the two contact members and means for intermittently rotating said movable contact melnber to carry the same into engagement with the oppositely disposed contact portions or with the spaces between said contact portions.

5. In an electric switch, an insulating base, a contact ring secured on said base and pro ded with upstanding conta t portions at different points in the length thereof, a second contact ring secured on the base inside the first contact ring and provided with upstanding contact portionsdisposed dia- -1netrically opposite the contact portions of the first contact ring, a movable contact member journaled on the base, concentric to said contact ring, a lever pivoted on the base concentric to the movable contact member and pawl and ratchet connection between said lever and the movable contact member.

6. In an electric switch an insulating base,

comprising insulating disks secured together in superposed spaced relation, a spindle secured between the disks, a contact member secured on the lower disk and provided with a plurality of spaced apart contact portions disposed in concentric relation to the spindle, a second contact member mounted on the lower disk, and pro-' tween said lever and said contact bridging member, a shell inclosing the insulating base, and the switch-mechanism mounted thereon, said shell having a laterally extending guide slot receiving the projecting end of a pivoted lever and permitting the oscillating move ment of said lever, a spring for normally holding said 'lever at one end of the guide slot, a fingerhold on the projecting end of said lever outside the shell and a complementary finger-hold secured to the outside of the shell adjacent the opposite end of the guide slot.

7. A lamp socket switch comprising a socket shell having a laterally extending guide slot provided with an entrance portion extending thereinto from the; upper edge of the shell, a holding lug turned inwardly at one edge of'said slot, an insulating base within the shell provided with a slot in the edge thereof engaged over said holding lug, stationary contacts on -the base. a movable switch member mounted on the base, a switch operating lever mounted on the base having a one-way driving engagement with the movable switch member and projecting out through the lateral guide slot in the shell, a finger-hold on the exposed end of said lever outside the shell. a rela tively fixed fingerhold on the outside of the shell adjacent one end of the guide slot and a cap detachably engaged over the endaof the shell, having a dependent rim portion: covering the entrance portion of the guide slot in the shell.

-8. In an electric switch, an insulating base, a spmdle on said base, three pairs of oppositely disposed relatively stationary contacts, grouped about said base, a contact member on said spindle adapted in different positions to bridge the oppositely disposed contacts and to bridge the spaces between said contacts, means for holding said bridging contact in its different positions, and an oscillating operating lever having a driving engagement with the movable switch member in its movement in one direction whereby by a series of relatively short oscil- 'lating movements of the operating lever the movable switch member will be shifted to alternately make and break contact with the relatively stationary contacts.

9. In "an electric switch, an insulating base, a relatively stationary contact member mounted on saidbase having spaced apart Copies 08 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by oath-casting the and out of engagement with the contact portions aforesaid and with the spaces between said contact portions.

GEORGE B. PILKINGTON.

Qommloaioner of Patents,

Washington D. 6- 

